


"We"

by iamtheprophet_chuck



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Episode: s04e16 A, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-02
Updated: 2014-11-02
Packaged: 2018-02-23 20:06:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2553929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamtheprophet_chuck/pseuds/iamtheprophet_chuck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seeing Daryl again was like seeing a ghost.  Rick barely processed that he was real, alive and in front of him, before he had to take action.  Daryl had called them family.  And he trusted him beyond a shadow of a doubt.  However Daryl had come to be involved with these men Rick was certain of Daryl’s loyalty.  </p><p><em>These are good people</em>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"We"

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own these characters, just like to play with them sometimes.

Seeing Daryl again was like seeing a ghost.  Rick barely processed that he was real, alive and in front of him, before he had to take action.  Daryl had called them family.  And he trusted him beyond a shadow of a doubt.  However Daryl had come to be involved with these men Rick was certain of Daryl’s loyalty.  

 _These are good people_.

Rick thinks he blacked out, coming out of a daze back against the card door, ass on the cold hard ground, something wet crusting on his chin in his beard.  He tastes iron.  Blood.   _Oh god_.  It comes back to Rick in flashes.  The taste of the man’s blood and flesh as he tore it from his neck.  The look on Carl’s face as Rick turned from the rapist he’d massacred.  He’d lost himself to his rage.  He had never done that before; never allowed the darkness he held inside to bubble up—to take over like that.  Rick pulled his knees up and laced his fingers together, bowing his head.   _Dear God what have I done?_

He’s achieved a sort of meditative trance by the time Daryl comes back, and he looks up at the tap on his shoulder.  Daryl wets a rag and holds him out to him.  Rick shook his head slightly in declination.

“You cain’t see yourself,” Daryl insisted.  “ _He_ can.”

_I can._

Rick felt the chastisement in his words whether Daryl’d meant it to be there or not.  What sane person rends a man’s throat from his body and watches him bleed to death?  What kind of person would willingly align themselves with that kind of man?  He accepted the extended cloth like it was the last kindness Daryl would ever extend him.

He wiped half-heartedly at his chin as Daryl sat next to him—close enough that their shoulders brushed.

“I didn’t know what kind of men they were,” Daryl said hesitantly, and Rick tried to keep his face from belying his confusion..  Was Daryl really apologizing to _him?_

 _I’m sorry you had to watch me rip a man’s throat out with my teeth,_ Rick wanted to say.  

“You’ve got nothin’ to be sorry for,” he said instead.  “You’re my brother.”

And the look of relief on Daryl’s face at those simple words—which could not possibly convey the depth of Rick’s feelings—made Rick’s insides clench.  He wanted Daryl to hold him close just once again like he had at the prison.  But Rick was afraid those days were over.  The simple intimacy they’d held was surely long gone.  No room for gentleness in this world.

Rick remembered belatedly that his face was still covered in a dead man’s blood and he brought the cloth back up to scrub the evidence of his true nature away.  He heard Daryl snort beside him and then rough calloused hands were gently taking the cloth from him.

“Here,” Daryl muttered low, “Let me.”

His hands on Rick’s face were gentle, wiping in small strokes and wetting it again with his flask before beginning anew.  

“There,” Daryl said finally, and Rick met his eyes for the first time since he’d sat.

“Thank you.”  Rick barely got the words out through the lump in his throat his hadn’t even felt and suddenly Daryl’s strong, familiar arms were around him, and he pressed his face into Daryl’s neck with a sob.

Daryl stroked his back gently, shushing him softly, whispering reassurances in his ears.  And he let Rick heave out dry sobs between gasping breaths.  The tears of the truly anguished.

When Rick was done, Daryl planted a kiss on his temple before allowing Rick to shrug him off and sit back up straight.

“So, where were y’all headed?” Daryl asked.  Rick was more grateful for the subject change than he could express.

“We were headed toward Terminus.  Figured our people’d be heading there, too.  What’s left of them, at least.”  Daryl nodded in agreement.

“Alrigh’.  So when’re we headin’ out?”  And just like that, Daryl had placed his trust firmly back in Rick; unquestioningly using “we” like they had never parted.

Rick smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> All comments/kudos are appreciated!! Incl. constructive criticism :))  
> You can find me on tumblr at [shippingrickyl](http://shippingrickyl.tumblr.com)


End file.
